The Wolf and the Cricket
by Kedi
Summary: A new friend visits Ruby as she hides out in the Shrieking Shack during wolf's time. (Harry Potter AU)


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**Author's note:** The OUAT characters set in the Harry Potter universe - not so much a crossover as an AU.

**Summary:** A new friend visits Ruby as she hides out in the Shrieking Shack during wolf's time.

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"Morning, Rubes!"

Emma Swan dumped her book bag at the Gryffindor table and sat down with a loud huff. Mary Margaret Blanchard rolled her eyes and moved Emma's bag to the floor without a word.

"Morning," Ruby Lucas smiled as her friends helped themselves to breakfast.

"Good morning, Ruby. How's your Granny doing?"

Ruby felt the familiar stab of guilt as Mary Margaret asked her, looking genuinely worried. Her visits to the Shrieking Shack were explained away by claiming she went to visit her sick grandmother (a cover story Ruby had always found absolutely ridiculous considering her Granny was the most fiercely healthy person she knew – Ruby was sure her gran kept illness away by sheer will alone.) but even though she felt terrible lying to her friends she was still too scared of rejection to risk telling them.

"Oh, much better," Ruby assured her, and this time it almost felt like she was telling the truth. It had actually been the most pleasant "visit" Ruby had ever experienced.

Though grateful for the Wolfsbane that left her conscious and able to control the wolf, it also left Ruby with plenty of time to feel sorry for herself as she waited for the full moon to set each month. She would never complain, of course, knowing how fortunate she was to have such a wonderful grandmother who had faced the beast – Headmaster Gold – for her. Being a werewolf Ruby was lucky to be able to go to school at all, and she knew that.

Didn't change the fact that it sucked, though.

She had been sulking and feeling sorry for herself – the fact that her frustrated huff had made her sound more like a whining puppy only added insult to injury - when a soft chirp had sounded in the quiet house.

Instinctively she had sniffed the air and caught an unfamiliar yet oddly familiar scent; not one she had smelled before, of that she was certain, but there were traces of... something familiar. She had not been able to place it before a second chirp sounded, closer, accompanied by a faint fluttering.

Her keen eyes had seen movement in the darkness as a field cricket fluttered down to land on an overturned armchair before her. All traces of boredom and self-pity had disappeared as if they had never been there to begin with; all that had remained was curiosity as the cricket jumped to the floor and sat before her, unmoving but for the slight fluttering of its wings, as if it was nervous or afraid. But surely she was projecting, Ruby had told herself, because crickets weren't nervous or afraid, and if they were then surely they would flee and not sit defenceless and vulnerable in front of a predator that could easily swallow them whole should the fancy strike it?

Ruby had leaned down and the cricket had tensed. The sight had made her freeze and only when she had seen the cricket relax had she moved again. Slowly, slowly as not to startle it she had lowered her head until her nose had almost brushed the tiny insect and then she had sniffed carefully, trying to identify the scent - without success. Ruby had found the mystery intriguing and had nudged the cricket lightly with her nose and it had chirped cheerily in response.

Her new little friend had come back each night of the full moon to keep her company. They had played a careful sort of tag that had kept both sides of her happy and playful, and though Ruby at first had been deathly afraid of accidentally hurting the frail little creature she had been consoled by the care the cricket took to keep out of reach while still playing the game. It had given Ruby the confidence she needed to trust her own control and she had played like a puppy for hours without the slightest twinge of shame or embarrassment. When the cricket had settled out of reach the wolf had calmed down without a fuss, accepting that their little friend put an end to their game, and when the cricket had started singing the wolf had calmed to the point of drowsiness and Ruby had been lulled to sleep by the soft, pleasant chirping.

The thought alone brought a smile to her face and Ruby nodded to her friends across the table. "Much, much better," she added. "Thanks for asking."

"That's good to hear," Mary Margaret said with a relieved smile. "You've looked so tired and dejected after the other visits I was worried it was really serious."

Ruby was about to answer when a crash and a gale of laughter sounded from the Hufflepuff table. They all turned towards the sound and saw the boy everyone knew by his nickname "Happy" – and with good reason – almost fall off the bench with laughter. The reason was obvious as prefect Graham Humbert, only a little more successful at containing his mirth, helped a red-faced Archie Hopper wipe pumpkin juice and scrambled eggs off his face and out of his hair.

Emma snorted. "Didn't I tell you, Mary Margaret? It was just a matter of time before he fell asleep in his breakfast."

"Oh shush, Emma, be nice," Mary Margaret scolded, but there was no real heat in her words and her eyes sparkled with both laughter and sympathy. "Archie's been out of sorts for days. Yesterday David had to poke him twice in potions so Professor Mills wouldn't notice him nodding off and dock house points. He actually did fall asleep in transfigurations, but Professor Blue just gave him detention."

"That's because he's her favourite," Emma said through a mouthful of food. Mary Margaret just gave her an exasperated glare and pointedly wiped the crumbs Emma had sent flying off the table. Emma rolled her eyes, but closed her mouth, chewed and swallowed before continuing. "I mean, she doesn't outright say it -"

"Teachers aren't supposed to have favourites, Emma," Mary Margaret interrupted, but Emma just continued as if she didn't hear her.

"- but she gives him extra assignments, like really hard ones too, according to Neal, and expects him to ace 'em." Emma took another bite and ignored Mary Margaret's glare as she continued talking. "And he does! He's a natural, apparently. Wouldn't be surprised if Professor Blue is grooming him for animagus training. At the very least I think she'll make him student assistant next year."

"Unless Headmaster Gold makes him Head Boy," Mary Margaret pointed out.

"Nah," Emma shook her head. "Archie's too goodie-two-shoes to be Head Boy. Don't think he'd make a good prefect either. Wouldn't be able to keep people in line."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Ruby said without thinking, earning herself two surprised looks from her friends. "I mean, I – erm... I mean, sometimes people are stronger than they appear. Sometimes there is hidden strength within the most inconspicuous of creatures." Or hidden beasts, she added bitterly to herself.

Emma snorted. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. Neal's been trying to get Archie to do his transfigurations homework for him for ages, but he's made absolutely zero progress on that front. If nothing else it proves that Archie's able to resist Neal's puppy dog eyes, which is impressive enough in itself."

Ruby tuned them both out as Mary Margaret started teasing Emma about Neal (who returned by teasing Mary Margaret about David - with much more success judging by the blush in Mary Margaret's cheeks), and let her gaze move back to the Hufflepuff table. The laughter had at long last died down and everybody had gone back to their breakfast. She saw a tired-looking and still red Archie pick at the new food his friends had heaped on his plate, and though there was still a little pumpkin juice drying by his temple at least she could spot no more egg-yellow in his hair.

He was two years ahead of her and would start his seventh and final year at Hogwarts after the summer, and even though she didn't know him all that well she realised with a pang that the thought of him graduating and leaving saddened her. He was always very nice when they happened to meet; sweet and kind and really quite adorable in a shy, awkward sort of way... But then again, he was nice to everyone. He had friends in every house, being the sort of kid no one could find a negative thing to say about - she had seen him in the library many times studying with Victor Whale from Slytherin and Kathryn Midas from Ravenclaw, and she had heard Mary Margaret mention that he tutored David Nolan in transfigurations, and was tutored in turn by the charming Gryffindor in Defence agains the dark art.

Watching him unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn Ruby idly wondered if Emma was right, that he was being groomed for animagus training. Though transfigurations was far from Ruby's best subject she had read up on animagi after coming to Hogwarts in an attempt at understanding her own condition better. Of course, she had found that werewolves were fundamentally different from animagi, but one titbit of information had seared itself into her brain: _animagi, while in their animal form, were safe to be in the company of werewolves._ The thought had been a heady one. Imagine having a friend who would be safe, even during wolf's time! One who would keep her company, and keep her mind off of...

A thought struck her suddenly and she froze. _The cricket._ Maybe that was why it hadn't acted like a normal cricket at all! Maybe the cricket was an animagus! Pulse suddenly racing with excitement Ruby fought down the urge to jump out of her seat and race over to the Hufflepuff table. She needed more information, and judging by what Emma had told her Archie Hopper was the guy to go to.

As if sensing her thoughts he suddenly looked up and their eyes met across the room. Normally she would probably have been mortified at being caught so blatantly staring, but at the moment she was too excited to care. She was certain Archie would help her research animagi so she could find out if the cricket really was a witch or a wizard in animal form - maybe they could even figure out who the witch or wizard was! Ruby flashed Archie a big grin and though it made him blush furiously he didn't look away, no doubt wondering what on earth made her smile at him so. Chuckling Ruby grabbed her book bag and with a cheery wave to the confused Emma and Mary Margaret she made her way towards the Hufflepuff table.


End file.
